There are things every woman should know about long-term relationships—especially romantic ones.
Women have been conditioned for centuries to sacrifice their wants to please someone else.
For women in relationships, that someone else is often their partner.
We’ve explored some of the best new relationship advice for ladies to help you build a connection that’s a loving partnership.
We hope you find something that will change your life and your relationship for the better.
What a Woman Should Want in a Relationship
A prerequisite for following our relationship tips for women is the firm belief that you don’t need a long-term romantic relationship to make you a complete person. You’re already complete, though you may not be fully aware of that.
This advice for women is about laying the right foundation for relationships — starting with the one you have with yourself—by addressing the following mutual must-haves:
- Respect and Appreciation
- Interest and Attraction
- Trust and Support
- Affection and Intimacy
- Compassion and Generosity
- Consideration
- Commitment
We’re not here to burden you with “shoulds” based on unhelpful assumptions. We want you to know what you have a right to expect from a long-term romantic relationship.
31 Pieces of Relationship Advice for Women
Look through the following relationship tips and make a note of each point that resonates with you. Depending on your background, some will speak louder to you than others.
1. Love yourself.
If you don’t know what it means to love yourself, you’re unlikely to recognize counterfeit love from a partner who is using you—or halfhearted love from a partner who’s settling for you to avoid being alone.
2. Make real connection a priority.
It’s not enough just to get along with someone you’re attracted to. Make sure there’s a real connection there–not just physical but mental, emotional, and even spiritual. You don’t have to agree on everything to feel connected.
3. Maintain a life of your own.
Don’t expect your partner to be your everything. It’s not fair to either one of you. If you’ve never had a life that didn’t revolve around your partner (or having a partner), now is the time to build one.
4. Don’t base your mood on your partner’s.
Your mood should not depend on someone else’s — even if that someone is your partner. You’re allowed to maintain equanimity. You can empathize without internalizing his mood. Don’t compound it by making it your own.
5. Don’t stalk him.
This should go without saying. If a guy you like doesn’t seem that into you, let him go. You’ve got better things to do than chase after a guy who shows zero inclination to get to know you better.
6. Take good care of yourself.
Make it a priority to practice self-love every day. Check-in with yourself, accept and honor what you’re feeling, and take an inventory of any needs that aren’t being met. Your needs matter as much as anyone else’s.
7. Learn to say “No.”
Don’t be your partner’s doormat. Let go of the idea that he has an innate right to decide how you spend your time and energy. He doesn’t. If you want an equal partnership, get comfortable with the word “No.”.
8. Share your authentic self.
You’re more likely to hide parts of yourself from someone if you intend to become what they want.
Your authentic self won’t please everyone, but it doesn’t have to. Anyone who doesn’t love you as you are shouldn’t be your partner.
9. Stretch yourself.
Challenge yourself daily. Make it a priority to do something that scares you at least once a week, if not every day. A life spent in your comfort zone isn’t much of a life. You need—and you deserve—more.
10. Treat your partner with respect.
This is basic golden rule stuff: treat others as you want to be treated. If you love your partner, showing them respect shouldn’t take much effort. Mutual respect is essential to any successful relationship.
11. Trust your intuition.
If your intuition is on high alert whenever you’re with your partner, something is wrong. If you’re unsure whether that sense of foreboding comes from your gut or paranoia, talk to someone you trust.
12. Teach your partner how to treat you.
If your partner is mistreating you, don’t let him get away with it. Let him know you won’t tolerate disrespect from him. If he blames you or brushes you off, take that as your cue to leave him.
13. Give your relationship the attention it needs.
Relationships take work — from both of you. Make time to spend with your partner, and commit to prioritizing your time together, whether you’re talking, playing games, or doing something else that draws you closer.
14. Discuss gender roles.
You want to be on the same page with this. If your partner believes the woman should let her man make all the important decisions and spend her time making babies and keeping house, that’s a problem.
15. Talk about household chores.
Even if your partner works full-time outside the home you share, and you work from home (with or without kids), he shouldn’t expect you to do all the housework. See if you can agree on who will do what and how often.
16. Practice active listening.
Listen to your partner with the same level of attention you look for in him when you’re the one talking. If you can’t both communicate and give each other your undivided attention, your relationship will suffer.
17. Empathize with your partner.
By all means, try to empathize with your partner when he shares what he’s thinking or feeling. You don’t have to plunge into the same feelings, but you should at least try to discern what they are and respond appropriately.
18. Don’t settle to avoid being alone.
There are worse things than remaining single into your 40s and beyond, and one of them is realizing the lack of connection between you and your partner—because you settled for him to avoid ending up alone.
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19. Learn to love your own company.
Before you even think of saying “Yes” to a proposal (of marriage or partnership), make sure you can enjoy your own company at least as much as you enjoy theirs. Otherwise, you’re more likely to settle for someone you’re not in love with.
20. Accept differences that don’t amount to red flags.
If you’re in a committed relationship with someone, you will have differences in opinion, behavior, and beliefs. Learn to accept the ones that don’t spell the doom of your relationship.
21. Discuss differences that do (or that might).
If you have differences that do amount to red flags, make time to discuss those differences and decide whether a compromise is necessary or helpful. It’s possible you both have separate paths to take—at least for now.
22. Become the kind of person you want to attract.
If you’re single, focus on becoming the kind of person you’d want to spend time with. For example, if you’re looking for the kind of guy who makes time for volunteer work, make time for it yourself.
23. Don’t try to change your partner.
If you’re in a relationship, don’t make it your mission to reshape your partner into the man you want him to be. No one wants to feel that they’re not enough for their partner.
24. Show appreciation for your partner.
Make a point of telling your partner what you appreciate about him — qualities that you admire or actions he’s taken that you’ve noticed. It makes a difference when both partners notice what they love in each other.
25. Never tolerate abuse.
Everyone has their off days, but neither of you should tolerate any kind of abuse from the other. And emotional abuse is just as serious as the physical kind, even if it doesn’t leave a visible mark.
26. Don’t be jealous.
Your partner should feel free to be friendly toward other people without raising your hackles.
There’s a difference between being sociable and flirting, If you’re feeling insecure in your relationship, address that with him.
27. But don’t allow your partner to gaslight you, either.
If your partner is flirting with someone else, and you confront him about it, he shouldn’t call you “paranoid,” justify his flirting, or blame you for it. If he does, take it seriously.
28. Don’t take your mood out on your partner.
Maybe you get in a funk sometimes, but that doesn’t justify your taking it out on your partner. A bad mood isn’t a free pass to act like a jerk. And that goes both ways.
29. Don’t ignore the red flags.
You have instincts for a reason. The more you learn about human behavior, the more likely your gut is to help you recognize danger signs in your relationship. Ignoring them only guarantees more challenging times down the road.
30. Don’t ignore conflict, either (Deal with it.)
Even the best relationships involve conflict. You won’t always agree on things. And handling those conflicts with love and empathy is worth more than total agreement.
31. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
You don’t have to be a relationship expert, and neither does your partner. Every couple can benefit from couples counseling or having separate therapists. An outside perspective can help you both see what you’re missing.
Now that you’ve looked through all 31 relationship tips for women, which ones stood out for you? And what will you do differently today?
